Posts tagged “excerpt”

Throw some rock stars into a heart-pounding race to stop doomsday, all while trying to outrun bloodthirsty aliens and avoid getting lost in the Void, and you have…..

Apollo’s Mission.

Info on Apollo’s Mission

Book Blurb:

Apollo’s Mission, a popular rock band, is at their height. Their only trouble is keeping up with a grueling touring schedule and warding off obsessive fans. But that all changes when they cross paths with Apocalypse, a religious-based terrorist group.

After being kidnapped by Apocolypse, one of the band members wakes up on their ship. While trying to escape, he stumbles upon Apocalypse’s “secret weapon” and flees with it. This throws he, and his bandmates, into a bloody fight with Apocalypse that they aren’t prepared for. Apollo’s mission quickly changes from achieving superstardom to saving their asses, and the world’s.

Genres:

Sci-fi, Adventure, Suspense, Horror

Time Period:

Modern day/Contemporary

Status:

Finished. In self-edits

Length:

52 K (the final version may vary slightly from this)

Extra info about the book:

Apollo’s Mission was founded by three members, Atlas, Malachi, and Drew, who’ve been friends since childhood.

Apollo’s Mission is named after it’s frontman, Atlas Apollo.

There is a romantic thread in the storyline. Her name is Diana.

Apocolypse is run by the followers of Io, who believe he will wake and bring about the apocalypse. They claim their followers will be the only ones saved when judgment day comes.

The leaders of the Apocalypse are undead aliens. Not zombies. Undead.

Io is a real person, and is actually “asleep”….well….kind of.

There’s a place called the Void in the book. It’s a cross between the underworld, a wormhole, and a black hole. Live things don’t survive in there and bad things hide in it. Malachi is terrified of it, Atlas is fascinated by it. Drew never goes near it lol.

I don’t know when this book will be released. I will give updates when I have them.

Lastly, thanks to Rich for helping me brainstorm some names to use in the story. You’re always such a good help. You’re awesome 😉

Excerpt from Apollo’s Mission:

As if sedated, she felt tingly, pins and needles tapping at every inch of her skin. She didn’t know how she got here, and the last thing she remembered was passing out at the concert. Everything after that was fuzzy.

It felt like a metal bar was resting against her chest, someone holding her from behind. They had a large frame that resembled a man’s. He held her in a lover’s embrace, his hands cupping her breasts. But…he felt cold. Like a block of ice.

Like a corpse.

Her fear drove her to move, and she mustered a burst of strength. As if she had broken the chains that bound her to sleep, she inhaled deeply and struggled to fill her empty chest. Near her head, a vent pumped dry air into the room. The flow was cold, like the kiss of the winter wind. It felt like she was encased in a freezer, and there was no moisture here.

The darkness around her was thick and she couldn’t see anything. She was in an enclosed space and sensed the walls closing in on her. She wore a tight body suit, the fabric slick to the touch. It wasn’t enough to keep out the cold and she was shivering, her body feeling heavy and partially frozen.

Her mind raced, but she couldn’t feel her heart running with it. It was still, not a single beat pumping blood through her body. She attempted to squeeze out tears to relieve her stinging eyes, but she couldn’t conjure any, and no matter how hard she swallowed, she couldn’t relieve her scratchy throat.

She tried to shake off the other body connected to hers, but it felt like his muscles were tightened—perchance frozen. Shoving her bottom into his hips, she tried to get enough leverage to wiggle loose, but it didn’t break his death grip.

She patted the ceiling and walls to get a sense of where she was. And the verdict wasn’t good. She was trapped in a box of smooth metal.

Like a coffin.

She screamed out, but only a squeak was emitted. Pushing on the top of the container, she tried to move it, but it wouldn’t budge. She panicked, thrashing wildly, and her mouth opening wide as she tried to push out a scream. Pounding with her fists and kicking upward with her feet on the top of the box, she attempted to force it open.

So, that’s a preview of Apollo’s Mission! Are you excited?!

If you have any questions about the book, shoot me an email and I’d be happy to answer it for you. We can discuss the mysteries of the Void. It’ll be fun. My contact info is HERE.

I know it’s Wednesday, but I forgot my #teasertuesday. Whoopsies. This is from my current WIP, CK#3. I’m changing the title I had set for it, so it’s untitled right now. I pulled the whole thing apart, so it’s a little disjointed right now. Nothing that won’t look pretty with a little polish 😉

I felt like giving you guys a treat today and doing a longer except for Tuesday Teaser. You’re welcome 😉

This is from my favorite book in the Nightwalkers series, Forever Black. Most of my readers seem to like Blood Kisses or Blood War the best, but my favorite is Forever Black.

Her retreat lead her to a place she never expected—the edge. She was barely able to stand sideways on the ledge of the building. Her eyes glanced down at the dark alley below. Her world was blurry, her eyes so clouded with tears that she couldn’t see.

The ledge was high, and the promise of an end loomed right below her. She could fall into this black abyss made by her tears, and it would all go away. Her hands gripped the railing behind her tighter. A loud sniffle escaped her nostrils as she struggled to choke down each breath of air.

Her words were thick with tears, choppy and wet, “Dear, sweet death—grant me your promise of sleep. Forever black, forever numbing. Take me in your arms, and clear my head. Blacken these eyes that no longer want to see.” She closed her eyes. “Please, accept me. Take me away from this place. Take me away!”

“A feather as light as you would not make it to the bottom of an abyss.”

She quickly turned to the voice. Her breath quickened as her eyes settled on the Count’s cocky smile. His presence was fitting in this place, his body cloaked in a black suit, and his light hair shining under the lights. The devil had come for her, just as she had asked. Just like in her nightmares.

“I want to die.” She sniffled. “So, leave me be.”

His arms were crossed over his chest. “You want to forget.” He wasn’t making an attempt to pull her away from the edge and seemed to be studying her instead.

“How do you know what I want?”

“How do you know that I do not?” He appeared next to her. His lips rested near her ear as his next words hissed from his lips, “We have been here before, you and I. The ledge, you believe, will let you fly—the wings you think you have inside you coming out and giving you salvation.”

She trembled at his closeness. She could sense his shape, but not feel him.

“Your heart is black, just as mine is. You cannot escape who you are. Fate is like the dark chariot of death—it will come for you, no matter how far you attempt to outrun it.” His words softened, each one feeling like needle pricks against her delicate skin. His lips brushed against her ear as his hands took a firm hold of her shoulders. His fingers dug into her skin and made her sob louder.

“Drake, you said, my soul is like a flower that has wilted under your moonlight. I can die and never be free of the curse your love has placed on my soul. Forever is black with you, like the darkest night without a light. You have drained me of all that is good.”

“I didn’t say that.”

He yanked her hair and halted her words. “Kiss me, you said. Kiss me and blind my eyes from my sins.” He kissed her cheek. “My love, take my kiss, and let me give you the paradise you desire. Let me mold the dark clouds into your dreams. I can give you everything. Love me, and I shall never let the sun rise in your presence. In the night, it shall kneel at your feet, only shedding light when you will it.”

This was a side of him she was only familiar with in her nightmares. This thick, heavy presence that choked her. This was his true form, and he felt like the devil. His voice was velvety, yet accompanied by a prick of sin that made her ears bleed.

Though she was terrified of him, his touch calmed her. It took away all the fight that lined her muscles and made her body numb. He had complete control over her. Her fragile mind was so lost, she couldn’t concentrate. She wanted to jump, but in the arms of the devil, her wings were restrained, and she feared soon cut off completely.

“Sweet, red blood…” His tongue peeked from his parted lips as he admired the coveted skin of her neck. “The taste of it, only heavenly beings like us can savor. Let me make you into what you once were, for with this final bite, you will be as I—forever black—with a soul as dark as the moonless night, and as powerful as the endless sky. I shall make you a god.”

He playfully nipped at her neck. “Take my hand, and I shall make the world bow to you. I will make you forget, and live in a happy bliss that will make every day a paradise.”

“I just want everything to go away.”

“Accept my offer, my queen. Let me take you into the realm of the gods.” His hands slipped around her waist. One of his fists was balled, and Ashleigh felt the hard tip of something brushing against her stomach.

“I want to forget.” Her next words were breathless, and she knew once they were released, she couldn’t take them back, “Make me forget, Drake.”

“Death will give you all the release you need. You have called death’s chariot to your side, and now there is no turning back. The devil has arrived to collect the soul that is mine.”

Ashleigh let out a silent, choked scream as he shoved a knife into her chest. She let go of the railing and tried to pry it out. Her breaths were choked as her body was covered in a thick cloak of pain. So sharp and paralyzing, her vision was slowly clouding.

“I will blacken your eyes and take you to the paradise that is this world’s hell.” In an artful twist, he dug the knife deeper and made her belt out a bloodcurdling scream. Her head fell backward and rested on his shoulder. He glanced into her pained face as he licked his lips.

She tried to speak. Her mouth was open wide as her eyes begged him to stop. All she could see was the yellow light in his eyes—those intense, emerald eyes she had dreamed about.

Then, everything faded to black. She heard his voice, though he wasn’t speaking, “Do not yearn for the heaven you have been barred from. For in my arms, the fabricated paradise in which we live will be far greater.”

Like the excerpt and want to read more? Check out the series on….

I’m doing another author reading from one of my books. So….which book would you like to see a reading from? Fill out the survey below with your pick. If there’s a specific scene you’d like to hear me read, write it in the blank space where it says “other”. And thanks for your participation!

Blurb for the CK Prequel:

While restoring a ceiling mural in Jenson, Addison meets Christian, who commissions her to do a painting for his employer, Master Vallore. It seems like love at first sight for the pair, and he seems like “the one”. There’s something a bit odd about her love, though, but she’s fallen so hard for him, she tries to ignore her silly suspicions. Her perfect man couldn’t really be a vampire, could he?

———————————————————————————————————————————–

Like I promised, here’s an excerpt from the Christian’s Kisses prequel. I picked a romantic excerpt this time 🙂

I’m still struggling to find a title I like for all the books, so the prequel is untitled right now and this is only a working blurb.

The series will be self-published so it will take me a lot longer to polish the books than if I had contracted it to a publisher. So, bear with me, because release dates for them will probably have long gaps between them. There is currently five books in the new series, plus the prequel, so…almost six books (maybe seven if book 4 is split into two).

Okay…onto the excerpt! I hope you enjoy it!

—————————————————————————————————————–

Excerpt:

With the handle of a brush paused near her lips, Addison’s expression was stern as she studied her work. She had to make sure it was artistically accurate to the original piece and it’s artist, but since there was no documentation on what it looked like, she had to guess.

A few people entered the room, their arrival quite distracting. Two large men flanked a very important looking one in a suit. He was now talking to her boss, Father Caspian, his bodyguards seeming on high alert as they scanned the room. Her eyes flitted cautiously to the visitors as she snuck a quick peek.

The guards didn’t keep her interest much, but the man in the middle did. He was wearing a fine gray suit with a light, baby-blue dress shirt hiding underneath. The way the fabric clung to his muscular frame, and his perfect gentlemanly stance, gave him a regal quality that made her heart flutter.

The visitor had turned many heads since he arrived. She wasn’t sure who he was and she wondered if he was one of the donors for the project.

Cocking her head to the side, Addison glared at her work. But it wasn’t because she was angry, but because she was analyzing it. The patch near her was now brightly colored. The face of a woman had been revealed by her hand, a cold, distance stare in the woman’s eyes as Addison brought life to the ancient piece.

She could sense someone approach, and slipped out her earbuds when he took the seat next to her. She sent him a shy smile, as she looked downward. It was the handsome man she had been eyeing.

She observed her work with him, her hands neatly in her lap. “What do you think?”

“It’s very good.” She recognized the voice. It was her friend, Christian. This was a very good surprise. He sent her a knowing grin and held out his hand. “Nice to finally meet you in person, Addison.”

“You, too, Christian,” she said softly. She narrowed her eyes on her work. “Do you think the blue is too overpowering in her scarf? It matches the color on the printout, but….I don’t know. I think it may need tweaking. What do you think?” Reaching to her side, she snatched the paper that lay there and showed it to him. It was a rough, colored depiction of how the painting should look when finished.

“I think it should be slightly more teal in hue, and the veil a lot lighter than her dress. Let’s test the color against your skin and see how it’d look against hers.” He took her hand and curled his fingers into her palm, his grip light. He plucked her brush gently from her fingers.

Dipping her brush into the paint on her mixing board, he gathered some blue and smeared it on the surface of her skin. He added a hint of white, lightening the color. “Better, don’t you think?”

She shied from his eyes, his hands warm, and his touch making her cheeks flush. She took her brush as she whispered sweetly, “That’s a bit on the light side, I think.” She smeared a bit of blue onto her skin, the color changing slightly.

“Ah…a subtle change, but I think it makes a difference.” He looked at her hand, then to the painting. His eyes narrowed on the woman’s face as if thinking hard about it. “And there, near her eyes, it should be darkened just a hair. The way you have her depicted is too soft, you need to age her a bit.”

Addison’s eyes darted over the piece and she made a mental note of his suggestions.

“But, otherwise, I think it looks amazing.” He picked up a damp cloth and wiped away the paint on her hand. Her eyes ticked to his, her breath quickening a bit. When her skin was clean, he wiped at the tip of her nose. “I have heard that an artist who wears her art shows great dedication to the craft.”

Addison licked her lips nervously as she tried to find her voice. He had her very flustered. “Thank you.”

“You seem to have more here, as well,” he said softly. He wiped at her cheeks, Addison now staring into his eyes. They were a crystal blue that sparkled under the lights and were set off by dark lashes. He took care of her with such a light hand, a soft, gentle touch.

Struck, she tried to calm her racing heart, the tension between them thick. Her feelings wore on her face, as she felt the heat pumping through her flush her cheeks, every inch of her seeming like it was burning.

“Like unveiling a hidden underpainting, to reveal your beauty is like finding one of the world’s greatest treasures.” With his words, he tapped her nose with the cloth, then wrapped her hands around it. “Brilliant work, Addison. I cannot wait to see the final piece.”

“Thank you,” she whispered. He hadn’t let go of her hand, their gaze locked as she fisted the cloth. Her heart was racing as she took in deep, quick breaths. She was struck, and from his flirty gaze, she hoped he was too.

“I can see why so many people speak so highly of you.” He cupped his hand over their joined hands, sandwiching her hand between his. She felt the heat that passed between them, the tension thick and causing a fog around her. She swore time had stopped, this moment belonging only to them.

He moved closer, Addison watching his lips form the words as he whispered. “Not only do you captivate me with your art, the sweetness that radiates from you has trapped me. If this moment is a dream, then never wake me. For I never want to take my eyes off the most beautiful creation God has ever created. Now that we share the same breath, and I see you in the flesh, you are better than any vision I had conjured of you—perfection greater than any painting.”

Addison couldn’t speak and had been struck by this silver-tongued prince. He had her reeling, her eyes watering as she tried to stop the great emotion deep inside her that this man evoked.

He chuckled lightly, and as if catching that he had paralyzed her with his sweet words, he made a joke. “Even the great Master Vallore would feel the same way if he met you, I bet.”

Shying from his eyes, she bit her bottom lip, putting a wrinkle in her shy smile. “Well, he does like some ugly art.”

Letting out a hearty laugh, Christian shook their joined hands a few times before releasing her fingers. “That’s not what I meant.”

“I’d rather not be in his sights anyway.” She fidgeted with the cloth, her answer soft. Her eyes fell on his hands, the large watch around his wrist catching the light and sparkling. It appeared to be inlaid with diamonds, the band a crisp silver. “I’m not a fast runner.”

He moved closer, putting his hand on her knee. She felt a rush of heat move up her legs, then to her bottom, and up her belly. Everything tingled under his touch, Addison feeling light headed. He whispered, “I am.”

“Maybe I should be worried about your intentions, as well.” Now, only a few inches from his face, Addison whispered back. She captured his wicked gaze. “Runners are not good men to play with.”

“I’ll carry you to the finish line if you can’t reach it, sweetheart.” He squeezed her knee. When he smiled, she saw he had a flaw. He had big teeth, kind of like a horse. She stared at them, his abnormally big overbite catching her off guard. His teeth looked unnatural at this distance. Was he….a vampire? She shivered at the thought but tried to push away the assumption.

She turned back to his eyes and quickly overlooked this imperfection. “Even if I make it five steps into the race and fall on my ass?”